The Blues got a call in their favour late in Sunday’s game and it helped them edge Tampa Bay 2-1.
The victory for the Blues, who were less than a minute away from shutting out Tampa Bay for the second time this season, ended the Lightning’s nine-game winning streak at Amalie Arena.
The club swept its two-game road trip through Florida, which perhaps wasn’t much of a surprise considering the Blues seem to play well in front of their fathers. This was the second straight season they’ve hosted a “Dad’s Trip,” and they are 5-0 dating back to last year.
The offense didn’t generate as much as it did Friday in Florida — five goals on 28 shots — but came up with two goals on 21 shots.
Robby Fabbri, who had the first fight of his career in the first period, scored his 13th of the season in the second and Patrik Berglund added his fourth goal of the season in the third on a replay that was reversed.
In his 14 consecutive start, Blues goalie Brian Elliott made 37 saves, nearly extending his franchise-best shutout record until Nikita Kucherov scored with 52 seconds remaining in regulation.
“He’s been good every game. He’s helping us win,’’ Berglund said. “We’re really confident with him back there in the net.”
The Blues were leading 1-0 on Fabbri’s goal when Berglund jumped on a turnover and went on a breakaway. Tampa Bay goalie Ben Bishop denied the breakaway, but the rebound went off the skate of Berglund and into the net with 2 minutes, 19 seconds left to play. The call on the ice was no goal, but after review, the call was reversed.
That decision had much more meaning when the Lightning pulled Bishop for an extra attacker and scored with in the final minute. The fans booed the call and booed even louder as the final horn sounded and the Blues celebrated. The club will head back to St. Louis to host Dallas Tuesday at Scottrade Center.
Tampa Bay had the first eight shots of the game Sunday, though three came on an early power play. The Blues didn’t record their first attempt until 8:52 elapsed. But the 12-4 shot advantage for the Lightning at the end of a scoreless first period wasn’t necessarily indicative of the Blues being outplayed.
The team seemed to improve as the game went along, and after Fabbri’s goal early in the second period, they were able to play with some momentum.
The Blues’ Paul Stastny won a faceoff in the defensive zone, and seconds later there was a battle for the puck in the neutral zone. Stastny came up with it and quickly backhanded pass into the offensive zone, springing Fabbri on a breakaway. It was actually a two on none with Troy Brouwer a few feet behind, but Fabbri didn’t need him, whipping a wrist shot past Bishop’s glove side. The goal gave the Blues a 1-0 lead just 36 seconds into the second period. Vladimir Tarasenko, who scored his 27th goal this season in Florida two nights earlier, nearly gave the club a two-goal lead, but his bid with 6 { minutes into the second period hit the post. At that point, the team had clanked two posts, with Brouwer drilling one in the first period.
The Blues weren’t only hitting iron.
Defenseman Joel Edmundson picked up the physical play, drawing attention on three occasions during a brief stretch in the second period.
First, Edmundson took down Tampa Bay’s Ryan Callahan in front of the net, and though he was whistled for a roughing penalty, the Blues’ penalty-killing unit erased that. Late in the period, he took down the Lightning’s Steven Stamkos on a rush and Vladislav Namestnikov in the corner, angering the crowd but pleasing his club.
The Blues played a tight third period and, after getting the goal from Berglund, wrapped up the win.